


Hope

by evilwriter37



Series: Febuwhump 2021 [2]
Category: How to Train Your Dragon (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Astrid!Whump, Chronic Illness, Chronic Pain, Disability, Endometriosis, F/M, Menstruation, Surgery, Whump, lady!whump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-02
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-17 03:19:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,111
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29093367
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/evilwriter37/pseuds/evilwriter37
Summary: Astrid has suffered from endometriosis for a long time. And now, she wants a hysterectomy, if she can find a doctor that will give it to her.
Relationships: Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III/Astrid Hofferson
Series: Febuwhump 2021 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2134545
Comments: 6
Kudos: 29





	Hope

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: "I can't take this anymore"

Astrid lay curled on her bed with her hands clutched to her midsection. A moan left her lips, tears in her eyes, and Hiccup sat on the bed, rubbing her back in an attempt at soothing her. 

“I can’t take this anymore,” Astrid said, voice tight with pain. “I can’t fucking take this anymore.”

Astrid was talking about her menstrual cycle. Instead of getting it every 4 weeks like normal AFAB people, she got it every 2, and the bleeding was always incredibly heavy. The pain was otherworldly, could put her on the floor in an instant, or almost drive her blind. She couldn’t work because of it, had had to apply for Social Security Disability Income. And now she and Hiccup couldn’t get married because of that. They’d take away her benefits if they did marry, which wasn’t fair at all.  _ None  _ of this was fair. 

“Astrid, you have to stay strong,” Hiccup told her. “Your appointment is next week.”

Astrid abruptly turned to him, tears in her eyes. “Yeah? And he’s probably going to say the same thing as every other doctor. ‘You just have a bad period. Get over it and stop whining.’ No one wants to treat me!” It was a miracle she’d even been diagnosed with endometriosis in the first place. Her doctor hadn’t wanted to do the laparoscopic surgery that was used to diagnose it, and she’d had to fight with her insurance company to get them to approve it. She’d tried all different types of treatments: birth control pills, progesterone, even injections that had made her hair fall out and in the end she’d shaved her head to stop that. Nothing had worked. Nothing  _ would  _ work save for what she desperately wanted: a hysterectomy. But so many doctors had told her she was too young for one, that they couldn’t in good conscience perform one on someone in their 20s. Never mind that she and Hiccup had already discussed it and had decided that if they wanted children they could adopt. Never mind that a hysterectomy would save her from her suffering. “Couldn’t do it in good conscience.” Fuck that.  _ Fuck that.  _

“You don’t know that,” Hiccup said, a warm hand on her shoulder. “This one might be different.”

Finally, they’d found an endometriosis specialist in Boston, and Astrid’s appointment with him was next week. It was a long drive, but would hopefully be worth it. Astrid didn’t have that hope, but she was willing to try. She’d cross every doctor off her list to get a hysterectomy and save herself from this. 

It had started when she’d gotten her first period, at the tender age of 11. Her first period had been normal, the one after that being brutal and bloody. Then it was 3 weeks till her next one, then 2, and then she was getting it every other week until she was so anemic she couldn’t find the strength to leave her bed. Birth control pills had helped for a time, but just like everything else, they stopped working. Everything always stopped working. The endometriosis was relentless and wouldn’t stay down. 

“Might be.” Astrid put a hand to her face, let out a choked sob. She hated crying like this, hated it so much. But Hiccup was her lover, her partner, someone who had been there for her through most of this. She could cry in front of him. “What i-if he doesn’t-doesn’t listen to me?” she stammered. 

Hiccup squeezed her shoulder. “Then I’ll kick him with my prosthetic. Where it really hurts.”

Astrid laughed at that image. She couldn’t imagine Hiccup ever hurting anyone. It was meant to make her laugh though. 

“No, really.” Astrid lowered her hand and looked at him. 

“We’ll go to another doctor,” Hiccup said. “And another, until you get what you know you need. This isn’t a rash decision. You’ve thought about it for years.”

Astrid sniffled, nodded. She felt like she didn’t have the will or strength left to do that. “Can I have a tissue?” she asked weakly. 

Hiccup nodded and went to go find a box. In that time, Astrid’s crying subsided. That didn’t mean that pain wasn’t still radiating through her. It was a pain she’d sadly gotten used to. She knew she’d have to get up to change her pad and tampon in a few minutes. She had to wear both because her flow was just so heavy. 

Hiccup returned with a box of tissues, helped Astrid sit up on the bed. She blew her nose and wiped her eyes, then leaned her head against Hiccup’s shoulder. He ran a hand through her short hair. It was growing back quickly now that she’d stopped the injections, was about down to her chin. 

“Everything’s going to be okay, Astrid,” Hiccup told her. “We’ll get you what you need. I promise.”

Too tired to say much, Astrid just nodded. 

  
  


Astrid held Hiccup’s hand with the one that didn’t have the IV in it. She was in a hospital gown in a comfortable bed, waiting for her surgery. The doctor they’d gone to in Boston had been the right one. He’d seen her diagnosis of endo from records from her other doctors, and had listened to her when she said she’d wanted a hysterectomy. Of course there had been the usual talking points about children and all that, but Hiccup had been with her, had confirmed that they could just adopt if they wanted children. Now, Astrid was waiting for her hysterectomy, nervous, but eager all at once. She knew recovery was going to be hard, but she was prepared for it. It wasn’t like she hadn’t experienced massive amounts of pain before. 

“You’re so brave, Astrid,” Hiccup said. “You can do this.” He kissed her on the cheek. 

“Yeah.” Astrid nodded, clenching her jaw. “Yeah, I can.”

“And I’ll be right there with you afterwards, alright?”

Astrid nodded. She was cranky after waking up from anesthesia, but it wasn’t anything Hiccup hadn’t dealt with before. Being there for someone while they went through surgery was a grand show of love, and Astrid loved Hiccup even more for it. 

Hiccup brushed a sudden tear away from Astrid’s cheek. “Babe, why are you crying? Are you nervous?”

“I’m… I’m happy,” Astrid said. She stifled a sob. She hadn’t realized that she was crying. Not again. “I’m happy that I’m finally doing this.”

Hiccup nodded, squeezed her hand. “And I’m happy for you. This is what you need, what you deserve.”

“Yeah.” Astrid smiled. Because of this surgery, she finally had hope again, and hope was something that had left her a long time ago. 


End file.
